You Were Prepared For This....So Was I

Last week I was sitting in a meeting. Meeting sounds boring. I should call it a get together instead of a meeting. It was really fun, I was surrounded by great people who felt like old friends, and it was inspiring.

So let's start again, last week I was at a get together. I left inspired by the entire 3 hours. I have replayed much of the day over and over, and there is something I can't shake. It has changed the way I am moving forward as a wife, mother and woman.

(Let me preface. I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know I have a Father in Heaven who loves me. I know I lived with Him before I was born.)

During the get together one of the presenters started talking about living with our Heavenly Father. He mentioned that we lived with our Heavenly Parents for 6000 yrs before we were born. And then he asked, "during those 6000 yrs...what did they prepare us for?"

He answered his own question.

"They prepared us for right now. They prepared us for what we doing at this minute, every minute."

This might sound simple. Maybe you have heard it before. I know I have, But it hit me, BIG.

I immediately started thinking about being a mother, and about our children. Being a mom is hard. It is the most joyous thing I have ever done, but it is not easy. There are many nights when I climb into bed and think about the day and realize that I CAN, and NEED to do better. There are many times I wonder if I have what it takes.

Now my mind was racing. I spent 6000 yrs being prepared to be a mom to our children right now. These children. There is comfort in this realization. There is power in this realization.

Can you even begin to imagine the tutelage that we received?

Since Wednesday, I have seen my role as a mother differently. I have seen my trials differently. That means I have been prepared to handle a temper tantrum. I have been prepared to handle uncertainty with my husbands profession. I have been prepared to handle demanding church callings. I have been prepared to handle the nosy neighbor who lives across the way. I have been prepared to juggle children and laundry and homework, all at the same time. I have been prepared to handle crying babies and sleepless night and growing 9 year olds that eat everything in sight. I have been prepared to love and teach, raise and console our children.

I now realize that one of the most important things I can give our children, is a parent who believes in themselves? A parent who recognizes that they have been saved to raise them, and then has confidence in their ability to do so?

A parent who trusts their instincts, a parent who believes they can be patient, who believes they can be compassionate, who believes they can discipline with love.

I need to remember on good days and bad, to shout for joy because I do have what it takes, I spent 6000 yrs being taught how to handle each and every situation.

Do you ever wonder if you have what it takes as a parent?